DESIGNING A MORE BEAUTIFUL WORLD NOW

Today, we are featuring two important exhibitions held at the London Design Festival 2015 which focused on design for ethical lifestyle.

KHANGAI NOBLE YARN EXHIBITION

Yak wool is an environmentally friendly alternative to cashmere. And we have fallen in love with it!

The Khangai Noble Yarn Exhibition at the Art of Progress, at London Design Festival, was both innovative and immersive. It debuted exclusive fashion and interior furnishings pieces designed by Tengri Collective designers.

All pieces on show were made in London, created from all-natural noble yarns, made from yak wool which is hand-sourced and only available once a year from Mongolia’s Khangai mountains.

Tengri aims to bring yak wool to the forefront of the global fashion industry through sustainable, eco-friendly and fairshare business.

Mongolian yak live at high altitudes and endure harsh winter conditions. Their unique wool is as soft as cashmere, warmer than merino wool, and less prone to pilling. It is sourced only by hand-combing each yak individually, once a year, when the yak shed their winter coats.

The yak wool is harvested by two cooperatives made up of more than 1,000 herder families living in the Arkhangai region of Mongolia.

The traditional way of life led by these nomadic herders is threatened by changes to the country’s natural grasslands, due to the rise of mining, and intensive grazing by competitive cashmere goats. More than 70 percent of Mongolian land is now suffering from desertification.

Tengri, Armadillo & Co, and northwood all hope to help protect Mongolia’s natural landscape as well as to offer Mongolia's nomadic herders a sustainable way to preserve their traditional way of life.

NORTHWOOD ARMADILLO & CO SHOWCASE

We truly appreciated the northwood and Armadillo & Co Showcase at the London Design Festival 2015.

This joint exhibition was dedicated to sustainable and fair trade design, presented a series of images and videos, showing the hand-loomed process of the skilled artisans who make Armadillo & Co rugs.

Founded 6 years ago, by Jodie Fried and Sally Pottharst, Armadillo & Co collaborates with Care & Fair, an initiative against illegal child labour in the carpet production industry in India, Nepal and Pakistan.

The company also supports the Anganwadi Project, which gives back to local communities in India.

The rugs are made with gorgeous sustainable natural fibers including pure New Zealand and Argentinian wools, jute, cotton and hemp. All purchases benefit local schools in the native weavers’ villages.

Read more about Beautiful Design, as it relates to Arts/Design, Nature/Science, Food/Drink, Place/Time, Mind/Body, and Soul/Impact, including The Best Eclectic Finds at the 2015 London Design Festival, The Most Beautiful Curiosities Now, Extraordinary Designs to Grace Your Dining Table Now, 10 Gorgeous Design Finds at London Design Festival 2015, The Most Beautifully Designed Places at LDF2015 and A Beautiful Design Experience, Head to Heart to Toe.

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IMAGE CREDITS:

1. Image: by Julianbce. Paleogene Namtso.
2. Image: Courtesy of The London Design Festival and Tengri Collective. Mongolian herder.
3. Image: Courtesy of The London Design Festival and Tengri Collective. Traditional Handwoven Throw, designed by Catarina Riccabona.
4. Image: Courtesy of The London Design Festival and Tengri Collective Sarlak Tran Stool and Bolster designed handmade by Studio 180°.
5. Image: Courtesy of The London Design Festival and Tengri Collective. Warrior Plackart Sweater.
6. Image: Courtesy of The London Design Festival and Tengri Collective. The herders hand-comb the yaks to collect the fur.
7. Image: Courtesy of The London Design Festival and Tengri Collective. Warrior Schynbald Sweater.
8. Image: Courtesy of The London Design Festival and Tengri Collective. Mongolia Khangai Mountain Yaks.
9. Image: Courtesy of The London Design Festival and Tengri Collective. Vast Mongolian Landscapes.
10. Image: Courtesy of The London Design Festival, northwood, and Armadillo & Co. Hands.
11. Image: Courtesy of The London Design Festival, northwood, and Armadillo & Co. Beautiful Wools.
12. Image: Courtesy of The London Design Festival, northwood, and Armadillo & Co. Spinning.
13. Image: Courtesy of The London Design Festival, northwood, and Armadillo & Co. Jodie and the Kids.
14. Image: Courtesy of The London Design Festival, northwood, and Armadillo & Co. Designer Collection Multi-Chevron Rug.
15. Image: Courtesy of The London Design Festival, northwood, and Armadillo & Co. Walking to School.
16. Image: Courtesy of The London Design Festival, northwood, and Armadillo & Co. The Anganwadi Project in Action.
17. Image: by BN App - Download now!
18. Image: by DrMog. A Yak Relaxing by Namtso Lake in Tibet.